What city is 98226 in?

98226 is a Bellingham, WA mailing address. By land area, 9% lies inside Bellingham and 2% lies inside Marietta-Alderwood; the rest is outside any Census-defined city or community.

What is the population of 98226?

About 46,782 people (±2,120), according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2020–2024. The 2020 Census counted 47,011.

What is the median household income in 98226?

$79,375 (±$7,690), compared with $98,141 for Washington as a whole. Half the households in the ZIP code earn more and half earn less.

How many carrier routes and mailboxes are in 98226?

33 USPS carrier routes with 21,343 residential and 1,453 business mailboxes (22,798 in all), from the route data stored by EDDM2GO. An EDDM mailing can target any combination of these routes.

What ZIP codes are near 98226?

The closest, measured center to center: 98225 (4.3 mi, Bellingham), 98229 (6.5 mi, Bellingham), 98247 (8.8 mi, Deming), 98248 (9.9 mi, Ferndale), 98276 (10.4 mi, Nooksack) and 98264 (10.6 mi, Lynden).

98226 ZIP Code, Bellingham, WA

98226 is a ZIP code in Bellingham, Washington in Whatcom County. It covers 106 square miles of land. The closest ZIP codes are 98225, 98229 and 98247. 46,782 people live here in 20,048 households, more than in 9 of every 10 Washington ZIP codes. With about 442 people per square mile it is lightly settled, and owners and renters are mixed (62% own). Median household income is $79,375, below the Washington median of $98,141.

Quick facts

Mailing city: Bellingham, WA
County: Whatcom County
Land area: 106 sq mi
Population: 46,782
Median household income: $79,375
Carrier routes: 33 (21,343 homes)

Key figures

Measure	Value
Residents	46,782
Households	20,048
Median household income	$79,375
Income per person	$45,504
Median age	41.1
Homeowners	62.4%
Median home value	$607,600
Median rent	$1,620
Bachelor's degree or higher	39.7%
Average commute (minutes)	19.2
Households with kids under 18	24.9%
Moved in the past year	14.7%
Below the poverty line	12.0%
Broadband internet	95.2%
Speak a non-English language at home	12.1%

Household income

% of households	Value
<$10K	4.5%
$10–15K	2.9%
$15–25K	6.4%
$25–35K	5.3%
$35–50K	8.7%
$50–75K	19.7%
$75–100K	11.3%
$100–150K	20.7%
$150–200K	10.3%
$200K+	10.2%

Age

% of all residents	Value
<10	9.7%
10–19	8.6%
20–24	6.8%
25–34	15.4%
35–44	14.8%
45–54	11.1%
55–64	12.9%
65–74	13.0%
75+	7.9%

Tenure

% of housing units	Value
Owned, with mortgage	35.9%
Owned outright	24.0%
Rented	35.7%
Vacant	4.4%

Type of building

% of housing units	Value
Detached house	59.4%
Townhome	3.4%
2–4 units	7.0%
5–19 units	12.0%
20+ units	12.3%
Mobile / other	5.9%

Businesses in 98226

1,663 business establishments with 24,112 employees (ZIP Codes Business Patterns 2023).

Retail Trade: 228
Construction: 222
Health Care and Social Assistance: 160
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services: 148
Other Services (except Public Administration): 148
Accommodation and Food Services: 141
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing: 131
Manufacturing: 84

EDDM carrier routes

98226 has 33 USPS carrier routes with 21,343 residential and 1,453 business mailboxes. Open the EDDM route map.

Carrier routes in 98226

98226 has 33 USPS carrier routes (11 city (C), 22 rural (R)) with 21,343 residential and 1,453 business mailboxes. Routes range from 208 homes (R029) to 1,260 homes (C078); the median route has 611 homes. The Census counted 20,048 households in 98226 (2020–2024 average); USPS counts current mailboxes, including new and vacant homes.

Homes per route	Routes
1–249	1
250–499	7
500–749	15
750–999	9
1,000–1,499	1
1,500+	0

Best routes in 98226 for…

Most businesses

For B2B offers: office supplies, cleaning, IT, catering and commercial services.

Route R026 — USPS business mailboxes 242, 368 homes
Route C095 — USPS business mailboxes 214, 574 homes
Route C083 — USPS business mailboxes 200, 773 homes
Route R024 — USPS business mailboxes 159, 855 homes
Route R022 — USPS business mailboxes 107, 409 homes

Select these 5 routes on the route map

Every carrier route in 98226

Route	Type	Homes	Businesses	Est. median income	Est. owners	Est. families with kids	Est. moved in past year
C070	City	590	0	$78,000	—	—	—
C073	City	719	38	$51,902	—	—	—
C078	City	1,260	44	$52,609	—	—	—
C081	City	784	17	$67,956	—	—	—
C083	City	773	200	$42,065	—	—	—
C087	City	751	29	$95,708	—	—	—
C092	City	809	3	$95,708	—	—	—
C094	City	509	8	$114,752	—	—	—
C095	City	574	214	$43,489	—	—	—
C096	City	876	65	$89,264	—	—	—
C097	City	396	1	$52,609	—	—	—
R001	Rural	472	67	$119,098	—	—	—
R003	Rural	452	10	$107,277	—	—	—
R004	Rural	445	1	$135,286	—	—	—
R006	Rural	594	7	$69,316	—	—	—
R007	Rural	514	5	$89,264	—	—	—
R008	Rural	588	14	$119,098	—	—	—
R010	Rural	550	0	$111,919	—	—	—
R011	Rural	475	5	$114,183	—	—	—
R013	Rural	704	30	$52,239	—	—	—
R014	Rural	655	51	$52,609	—	—	—
R016	Rural	954	13	$42,065	—	—	—
R017	Rural	587	0	$111,919	—	—	—
R019	Rural	854	65	$43,489	—	—	—
R020	Rural	721	4	$147,565	—	—	—
R021	Rural	611	20	$69,316	—	—	—
R022	Rural	409	107	$89,264	—	—	—
R024	Rural	855	159	$41,890	—	—	—
R025	Rural	624	16	$89,264	—	—	—
R026	Rural	368	242	$73,961	—	—	—
R027	Rural	916	3	$114,752	—	—	—
R028	Rural	746	15	$54,598	—	—	—
R029	Rural	208	0	$147,565	—	—	—

Income, owners, families and movers are estimates for each route (how we estimate them); mailbox counts are current USPS figures. Open 98226 on the EDDM route map.

How route demographics are estimated

Mailbox counts come from USPS; demographics are estimates

The number of homes and businesses on each carrier route is the current USPS EDDM count. The Census Bureau does not publish figures for carrier routes, so income, homeownership, ages, families, movers and housing age on a route are EDDM2GO estimates built from Census block groups (neighborhood areas of roughly 600 to 3,000 people).

How a route gets its figures: the block-group length-share method

We trace each route's streets every 25 meters and record which block group each stretch falls in. The route's homes are spread along its streets in proportion to length, so a route with 60% of its street length in one block group is assumed to have 60% of its homes there. Each block group then contributes its Census counts in proportion to the share of its housing units that sit on the route (capped at the whole block group). Medians are recalculated from the combined income, home-value and age brackets, the way the Census Bureau computes them, not averaged.

Margins of error

Census survey figures carry a margin of error at 90% confidence; we carry it through the calculation and show it as ±. Our margins treat the route-to-block-group split as exact, so the real uncertainty is larger. Routes with fewer than 100 estimated households, large margins, or streets we could not place are flagged.

Different years

USPS mailbox counts are current. Census figures are 5-year averages for 2020–2024, so a new subdivision may have more homes on the route today than the Census counted. Use the route figures to compare routes with each other, not as an exact head count.

Why some routes show identical figures

Two routes that run through the same block group get the same percentages and medians, because the Census publishes one set of figures for the whole block group. Their mailbox counts still differ, and those are exact.

Route and mailbox counts: USPS EDDM route data. Route demographics: EDDM2GO estimates from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year block-group data (2020–2024) and 2024 cartographic block-group boundaries. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Nearby ZIP codes

98225 — Bellingham city, WA (4.3 mi)
98229 — Bellingham city, WA (6.5 mi)
98247 — Deming CDP, WA (8.8 mi)
98248 — Ferndale city, WA (9.9 mi)
98276 — Nooksack city, WA (10.4 mi)
98264 — Lynden city, WA (10.6 mi)
98220 — Acme CDP, WA (13.3 mi)
98262 (13.3 mi)

Areas that include 98226

Bellingham, WA ZIP codes — 3 ZIP codes
Marietta-Alderwood, WA ZIP codes — 2 ZIP codes
Whatcom County ZIP codes — 17 ZIP codes
Washington ZIP code data

Where it ranks

Mail every home in 98226

Route counts on this page price as Full Service 6.5 × 9 postcards: we print, bundle by carrier route and hand the mailing to USPS. Prefer to take it to the Post Office yourself? Print only costs less and you pay postage at drop-off.

EDDM guides

ZIP code statistics describe the Census ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 98226, which approximates the USPS ZIP code area. Census figures: American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024.

Frequently asked questions

What city is 98226 in?: 98226 is a Bellingham, WA mailing address. By land area, 9% lies inside Bellingham and 2% lies inside Marietta-Alderwood; the rest is outside any Census-defined city or community.
What county is 98226 in?: 98226 is in Whatcom County.
What is the population of 98226?: About 46,782 people (±2,120), according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2020–2024. The 2020 Census counted 47,011.
What is the median household income in 98226?: $79,375 (±$7,690), compared with $98,141 for Washington as a whole. Half the households in the ZIP code earn more and half earn less.
How many carrier routes and mailboxes are in 98226?: 33 USPS carrier routes with 21,343 residential and 1,453 business mailboxes (22,798 in all), from the route data stored by EDDM2GO. An EDDM mailing can target any combination of these routes.
What ZIP codes are near 98226?: The closest, measured center to center: 98225 (4.3 mi, Bellingham), 98229 (6.5 mi, Bellingham), 98247 (8.8 mi, Deming), 98248 (9.9 mi, Ferndale), 98276 (10.4 mi, Nooksack) and 98264 (10.6 mi, Lynden).

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.